What is the difference between Supercharging and Turbocharging?
Superchargers are mechanically driven air pumps that are connected directly to the engine crankshaft via the serpentine belt. A turbocharger is driven by the flow of exhaust gas which is generated as part of the engine combustion cycle.

Why choose Supercharging over Turbocharging?
Because turbochargers depend on the energy in the exhaust gas stream to spool up and generate boost pressure, there is often a delay in the response of the engine at lower engine speeds where exhaust energy is lower. This delay is often referred to as “Turbo Lag”. On the other hand, a supercharger is directly driven by the crankshaft of the engine, and there is no delay in engine response at lower engine speeds. This allows supercharged engines to have instant throttle response and better vehicle driveability.

If more air is pumped into the engine, then more fuel must be used also…Doesn’t this mean less fuel economy?
If a supercharged 3.8L V6 is compared to a naturally aspirated 3.8L V6, the supercharged V6 does use slightly more fuel. However, the power and performance of the supercharged V6 is comparable to a larger V8 which uses much more fuel to achieve the same performance.

Do the Superchargers provide boost at all times?
No. Under cruising conditions, the compressed air from the supercharger is bypassed, and is recirculated in the supercharger, improving fuel efficiency. Under acceleration, the bypass is closed, and the “boosted” air is sent into the engine to provide increased response and power.

How reliable are supercharged engines?
General Motors has been offering a supercharged version of the 3800 V6 engine since 1991. The Supercharged 3800 Series II engine has one of the best warranty ratings amongst all of General Motors powertrain offerings. Along with GM, other automakers like Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, BMW-Mini, and Ford all have used superchargers as an effective and reliable alternative to larger, less fuel efficient powertrains on various cars and trucks.

Do Superchargers need service regularly?
No. Eaton Superchargers are factory sealed and tested to ensure durable, reliable performance for the lifetime of the vehicle and engine. If you suspect that the Supercharger is working improperly, take your vehicle to your GM dealer for inspection and service.

The STS Flame War has started. I have an STS system on my '01 Silverado. I have 56K miles on it. Very happy with it. But...

... I have to say that the Air Power Systems stuff is way better than STS. My STS kit works fine, but the components look like stuff off the shelves of my local Ace Hardware store. Go to airpowersystems.com and check out the level of their component quality. No comparison. And this is from a happy STS customer.

The STS Flame War has started. I have an STS system on my '01 Silverado. I have 56K miles on it. Very happy with it. But...

... I have to say that the Air Power Systems stuff is way better than STS. My STS kit works fine, but the components look like stuff off the shelves of my local Ace Hardware store. Go to airpowersystems.com and check out the level of their component quality. No comparison. And this is from a happy STS customer.

i am very familiar with aps, ive use all of aps's products on my sti, and my brothers has the tt kit for his vette. love those guys, never had any issues.

as for sts, yeah it looks like some backyard built kit, and i know two guys that have a it, one has a chevy truck the other with a ford truck, both deeply regret it, they both had it professionaly installed and still have had nothing but boost leaks and fitment issues, plus the lag is HORRID.